Black & Right WORLD, July 24, 2004 By Gene Edward Veith The Methodists fought, the Presbyterians (USA) dithered, and the Episcopalians gave in as their national conventions struggled over what to do about homosexuality. But the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), the largest black church in the country with 2.5 million members, voted in its national convention unanimously not to allow pastors to perform same-sex marriages. Black Americans tend to be liberal politically. They are the most reliable components of the Democratic Party's base, with the possible exception of gays, whose causes Democrats and liberals are championing. And yet, black Americans are among the demographic groups most opposed to gay marriage. This frustrates gay activists and their allies. African-Americans have experienced terrible discrimination. Why aren't they more sympathetic with the discrimination that gays experience? There used to be laws against blacks marrying whites. Just as those racist laws needed to be repealed, surely the laws against men marrying men also need to be repealed. Blacks and gays should be natural allies, liberals are saying. Of course, some black leaders -- like former presidential candidate and ordained minister Al Sharpton -- follow the party line of the liberal establishment. But across the country, black pastors have been staging rallies against gay marriage. African-Americans bitterly resent the attempt by homosexual activists to appropriate the civil-rights movement for their cause. Even the extremely liberal Congressional Black Caucus has denounced comparisons of the gay-marriage movement to the civil-rights struggles of the 1960s. "Why are blacks, who know so well the reality of discrimination, so uniformly unsympathetic to the case that the gay community is making?" That question is raised by Star Parker, a black evangelical, in a column for Scripps Howard News Service. She says that the main reason is that the civil-rights movement depended on objective moral truth. Homosexual marriage, on the contrary, depends on a rejection of objective moral truth. "It is not just that they know when their movement is being hijacked," she quotes Wilfred McClay, history professor at the University of Tennessee, as saying. "It is that the religious sensibility that animated the civil-rights movement, and that is still very much alive in the American black community today, is bound up in a biblical worldview that would no more countenance the radical redefinition of marriage than it would the re-imposition of slavery." "Blacks know instinctively that the debate on gay marriage is the symptom and not the problem," says Ms. Parker. "They know that the root problem is the implicit de-legitimization and marginalization in the United States today of traditional standards of right and wrong." She argues that it was just such a marginalization of right and wrong that allowed slavery. "Without an anchor in ultimate standards, blacks know that the best politics and law, even in as great a country as ours, can lead anywhere." Concepts such as justice, freedom, and human rights depend on a worldview that recognizes transcendent, objective, moral truths. If morality is just something that we can construct and reconstruct according to our own preferences, as postmodernists believe, then justice, freedom, and human rights will be in jeopardy. To reject universal teachings about sexual morality and to presume to redefine marriage to include homosexual relationships may seem kind and tolerant. But that comes with a horrible price, the repudiation of the very moral framework that makes kindness and tolerance possible. One might say that black Americans are suffering the consequences of the sexual revolution. The whole culture has drifted away from sexual morality, and African-Americans have been paying the highest price, in the troubled children, the crime, and the poverty that accompany communities that do without marriage. But whites as well as blacks are affected by the moral breakdown. Among white women, Ms. Parker points out, the incidence of out-of-wedlock births is 25 percent -- what it was for black women 40 years ago. The civil-rights movement of the 1960s was moral. The gay-rights movement is not. It is that simple. Perhaps African-Americans and their churches could start exerting the moral leadership that our whole country desperately needs.

News Analysis By David W. Virtue The Episcopal Church's leading lay revisionist thinker believes that primatial road rage against the ECUSA is a vicarious way of getting back at the ugly American image, and is not primarily about homosexuality at all. Dr. Louie Crew, the Episcopal Church's pioneer homosexualist, says some of their [primatial] disengagement "stems from an over-identification of TEC with the US Government and more specifically with the American Empire, whom the world rightly resents." It's easy to get into an 'anti-American' mindset, especially when TEC, like the USA, comes across as some sort of "Super Power" or "Super Church," he said. Writing on the House of Bishops/Deputies listserv, Dr. Crew said he also believes the Episcopal Church will not voluntarily leave the Communion on its own initiative "unless the terms of remaining become intolerable, such as yielding any part of our jurisdiction." The Integrity founder also said that the TEC will probably participate less and less in forums where abuse occurs, and "collaborate where we are welcome." Painting ECUSA as the victim in Christ like categories, Crew said the TEC is investing its considerable resources in sharing the stigma of a despised and rejected minority. That is not new in Christianity: Jesus experienced his own first successful missions with outcasts in Samaria, he said. "I think TEC will be patient, but to a limit yet to be determined. If the mud-slingers don't slack off in time, I cannot imagine TEC remaining a willing target of abuse indefinitely. We are funding right at 30% of the bureaucracy to manage the bilge, and we could spend that money much better in meeting the material needs of people whose bishops are neglecting them by spending time and money attacking us." Dr. Crew couldn't be more wrong. First of all no one has done more to disparage the United States to the world and the Anglican Communion than Frank T. Griswold, ECUSA's Presiding Bishop. He brought the wrath of former U.S. President George Bush down on his head by blaming the tragic events of 911 on American foreign policy and Islamophobia. Griswold did that all by himself without any help from a single African bishop. Furthermore it is the height of arrogance to think that the Global South has now or ever has had that much respect for the Episcopal Church to regard it as a "super power" or "super church." If it held it in any kind of respect those days are long gone. The ECUSA might be financially rich but numerically it is a pin prick in terms of the greater Anglican Communion. Its influence is considerably greater than its numbers warrant, and with its fading glory, the Africans are now saying, "your money perish with you." Trinity Church Wall Street might be the richest church in the world, but it is the financial hand maiden of ECUSA, and its buildings will, in time, be little more than a tourist drop off as people come to see the rebuilding of the downed towers as having more to offer than this church's millions. Their stated policy that if an African province criticizes ECUSA over its sexual policies, funds will dry up, shows you that they think money is more important than truth-telling. The respect African and Asian bishops have had for the West was strictly in relationship to the gospel western missionaries brought to their lands and for whom they gave their lives. There is still enormous respect for these men and women whose portraits often line the walls of African bishops' studies. The rejection of The Episcopal Church, the Diocese of New Westminster and specifically the New Hampshire bishop has nothing to do with a post colonial angst, money, power or anything else; it is the total betrayal and reversal of Holy Scripture and 2,000 years of church teaching on faith and morals that has done ECUSA in with the CAPA bishops. And what investment has the TEC made in Africa that has brought returns of love and affection? - Integrity's attempt to gain a foothold in Uganda by trying to buy pansexual acceptance from a sympathetic African bishop? Mercifully that fell apart. Or the money ECUSA has poured into Africa in order to buy into ECUSA's bankrupt morality. Everything comes with a price tag with ECUSA, and that price tag is high, just ask Archbishop Ndungane of Southern Africa. He is the only holdout on the African continent that still believes in ECUSA with his 'please don't interfere with ECUSA's internal affairs' approach. I know, I asked him. And he continues to receive bounty from ECUSA's Trust Funds. On education. Bishops and seminary professors like Ian Douglas of EDS make forays into Africa to get students to come to US Episcopal seminaries so they can be filled with gay and liberal agit poop, and return and infect their own people with the spiritual HIV of ECUSA. But the Africans are catching on. They are not only refusing ECUSA's millions of dollars they are not sending their students to most of ECUSA's seminaries. Who deliberately goes to another country to pick up a spiritual disease that could damn you for all eternity? NO. What Crew calls an 'anti-American' mindset is an 'anti-ECUSA' mindset brought about by the American church's sellout of the gospel to pansexual (read lesbitransgay) behavior and its failure to affirm major doctrines of the faith at its last General Convention. Crew writes, "Anglicans outside TEC who are not saying anything one way or the other right now have a stake if TEC is booted out or even more badly bruised, but they seem not to have awakened to that." And what is it exactly that they should be awakened too? What stake is there? ECUSA's deviant sexuality, or if you go along with our post-modern morality there will be a check waiting for you at the end of the rainbow coalition? This is a fiction. It isn't going to happen. And to compare the "stigmata" of Christ identifying with the "despised and rejected minority" [of ECUSA's pansexualists] is the biggest lie of all. The "despised and rejected" ones in ECUSA today are the church's Anglo-Catholics and Evangelicals who have been, and continue to be, marginalized by bishops like Bennison, Shaw, Dixon, Chane, Leidel, Parsley et al. For Crew to say or hint that it is the Episcopal Church's pansexualists who are being marginalized is totally laughable if it wasn't so damnably untrue. Ask the Rev. Michael Hopkins, Integrity's leading sodomite if he feels at all marginalized in the Diocese of Washington and then go ask the Rev. Thomas Logan or the Rev. Al Zadiq, two orthodox priests, how the feel as an orthodox minority in that diocese, and they will tell you a completely different story. Ask pastor Logan of Capitol Hill Episcopal parish who challenged the Diocese of Washington with a resolution rebuking same-sex "marriage," and scheduled a debate in his church but had to cancel it after documents were stolen and trashed. If someone trashed Integrity's documents the screams of outrage would have been heard for months and the shrill cries of homophobia and 'they are trying to kill us' would have reverberated around the national cathedral with Bishop John Chane covering himself in sackcloth and ashes. How would Hopkins have stood up to an orthodox bishop beating him up for several years for his homosexual behavior? He couldn't have stood it. In his diocese it isn't going to happen. Then ask how Fr. David Moyer of Good Shepherd in Rosemont, PA how he feels, suffering for six months under Pontius Bennison, and while he is not suffering now, the legal battle rages on, and may go on till Bennison retires. Crew says the primates are showing "irrational behavior, but that rarely stops folks." Only love can do that, he writes. "And it seems that few in the Communion have thought to love The Episcopal Church. The test of love is always the same, and always tough: do we love only when people please us or agree with us?" Elsewhere he says, "If others outside The Episcopal Church want to change us, they are going about it all the wrong way. They might love us into their attitudes, but they will never bully us into them." The orthodox HAVE been loving ECUSA's revisionists for years, so much so that they kept drawing lines in the sand to accommodate them while praying for them, and where did it get them? NOWHERE. The revisionists kept pushing on everything from women's ordination to vile sexual behaviors and screamed 'local option' while waiting for General Convention to pass what they were already practicing. The flipside of love is law...(the orthodox should have been reading Luther instead of Countryman), and they should have stood up to Spong 30 years ago, but didn't. And today we have a total mess on our hands, and the orthodox are partly to blame for doing nothing till it was too late. (British Evangelicals are just waking up to that fact with the Jeffrey John debacle. Let us hope it is not too late for them.) No, it was not the sloppy, misused word 'love' that ECUSA's revisionists needed to hear but the tough word of God's law, which if broken brings His judgment down on them. And Crew whines that if they loved us, instead of bullying us, things might have worked out differently. Nonsense. The truth is it is revisionist bishops who are doing the bullying of their orthodox rectors and dozens of godly men are walking away in disgust and disillusionment joining other Anglican groups or going nowhere. Dr. Crew should travel to the Diocese of Connecticut and talk with the six orthodox rectors there about what Bishop Andrew Smith is doing to them, and then he should take a plane to Eastern Michigan and talk with another half a dozen orthodox rectors, three of whom have already resigned, and then he should fly out to Colorado and talk to Messrs Don Armstrong and Ephraim Radner about what Bishop O'Neill is doing to that diocese. And the list could go on and on. Till recently, until they were galvanized by Nigerian Primate Peter Akinola, the African primates have had to listen at one Primatial gathering after another to Griswold whine about sodomite acceptance, while millions died of AIDS, hunger and without Christ. And on top of it all Griswold, Spong and Bennison have all made insulting remarks about how backward African Anglicans are with their simple "fundamentalist" message, while they, the Sophisticated Ones know it all, even as their church falls apart. That is evil beyond all evil. The whole Anglican Communion's mission has been compromised while a pro-Sodomite American Presiding Bishop has demanded acceptance of lesbitransgay behavior into his church and made it the No. 1 agenda item at every recent primatial gathering. And now it might all come crashing to the ground...and maybe it should. The cup of blessing has now become the cup of God's wrath. Crew says it would be a horrible loss for the Communion to split, "but I have no illusion that one or additional papers, however well written, will make that happen or prevent it. The 'communion' we now have is not as substantial as I would like it to be; currently we have far too few exchanges disciple to disciple. Many of our structures are far too impersonal: they work well enough to allow the flow of tangible support, but we might structure more personal contact, especially with the major growth in communications and transportation over the last two decades. It would be horrible to miss the opportunity that is before us to grow in bonds of affection and ministry." The sad truth is that the Primates have had more personal communication than they can stomach from Western bishops talking about sodomy. They are sick and tired of it. They have had enough. I know, they have told me. They want to see the salvation of souls, not the sickness of sodomy talked about. They believe in regeneration not degradation, salvation not salivation, sanctification not perversity. No, Dr. Crew has it all backwards, and he has had it that way for 30 plus years, and soon he will see the bitter fruit of his pushing and teaching about gay sex come to fruition. "We are never going to capitulate to those who do not have jurisdiction here, and if the Communion reconstitutes itself to seize the powers of a Curia, few Episcopalians will want to be a part of it," says Crew. They won't need to, because the Global South IS the majority, and the West are the minority who have no gospel except inclusion, and they are heading right over the edge of the cliff and into the abyss.

The Associated Press The United States will no longer be a majority Protestant nation in years to come, due to a precipitous decline in affiliation with many Protestant churches, a new survey has found. Between 1993 and 2002, the share of Americans who said they were Protestant dropped from 63 percent to 52 percent, after years of remaining generally stable, according to a study released by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. At the same time, the number of people who said they had no religion rose from 9 percent to nearly 14 percent, and many are former Protestants, the survey's authors said. The study was based on three decades of religious identification questions in the General Social Survey, which the opinion center conducts to measure public trends. The United States "has been seen as white and Protestant," said Tom Smith, director of the General Social Survey. "We're not going to be majority Protestant any longer." Respondents were defined as Protestant if they said they were members of a Protestant denomination, such as the Episcopal Church or Southern Baptist Convention. The category included members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and members of independent Protestant churches. Among the reasons for the decline were the large number of young people and adults leaving denominations as the number of non-Protestant immigrants increased, comprising a greater share of the population. Also, a lower percentage are being raised Protestant. The Roman Catholic population has remained relatively stable over the period, making up about 25 percent of the U.S. population. People who said they belonged to other religions—including Islam, Orthodox Christianity or Eastern faiths—increased from 3 percent to 7 percent between 1993 and 2002, while the share of people who said they were Jewish remained stable at just under 2 percent.

By Robert A. J. Gagnon, Ph.D. | July 2004 "Gay Marriage" as a Contradiction in Terms Scripture, Creation, and a Two-Sexes Prerequisite The Social-Scientific Case against "Gay Marriage" Conclusion Advocates of homosexual practice often argue that "gay marriage," or at least homosexual civil unions, will reduce promiscuity and promote fidelity among homosexual persons. Such an argument overlooks two key points. First, legal and ecclesiastical embrace of homosexual unions is more likely to undermine the institution of marriage and produce other negative effects than it is to make fidelity and longevity the norm for homosexual unions. Second, and even more importantly, homosexual unions are not wrong primarily because of their disproportionately high incidence of promiscuity (especially among males) and breakups (especially among females). They are wrong because "gay marriage" is a contradiction in terms. As with consensual adult incest and polyamory, considerations of commitment and fidelity factor only after certain structural prerequisites are met. The vision of marriage found in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures is one of reuniting male and female into an integrated sexual whole. Marriage is not just about more intimacy and sharing one's life with another in a lifelong partnership. It is about sexual merger—or, in Scripture's understanding, re-merger—of essential maleness and femaleness. The creation story in Genesis 2:18-24 illustrates this point beautifully. An originally binary, or sexually undifferentiated, adam ("earthling") is split down the "side" (a better translation of Hebrew tsela than "rib") to form two sexually differentiated persons. Marriage is pictured as the reunion of the two constituent parts or "other halves," man and woman. By definition homosexual desire is sexual narcissism or sexual self-deception. There is either a conscious recognition that one desires in another what one already is and has as a sexual being, or a self-delusion of sorts in which the sexual same is perceived as some kind of sexual other. The New Testament recognizes the importance of the Genesis creation stories for establishing a "two-sexes" or "other-sex" prerequisite for marriage. St. Paul clearly understood same-sex intercourse as an affront to the Creator's stamp on gender in Genesis 1-2. In his letter to the Romans, Paul cites two prime examples of humans suppressing the truth about God evident in creation/nature: idolatry and same-sex intercourse (1:18-27). In 1 Corinthians 6:9 Paul mentions "men who lie with males" (arsenokoitai)—a term formed from the absolute prohibitions of man-male intercourse in Lev 18:22 and 20:13—in a list of offenders that risk not inheriting the kingdom of God. It is not mere coincidence that when Jesus dealt with an issue of sexual behavior in Mark 10:2-12 he cited the same two texts from Genesis, 1:27 and 2:24, that lie behind Paul's critique of homosexual practice. Jesus adopted a "back-to-creation" model of sexuality. The unanimous and unequivocal opposition to same-sex intercourse that persisted in early Judaism and in early Christianity leaves little doubt about what Jesus' view was. Returning to the first point, the social-scientific evidence to date does not encourage the notion that validating homosexual unions is a win-win situation. A series of articles in 2004 by Stanley Kurtz, a Harvard-trained social anthropologist and fellow at the Hoover Institution, show that the introduction of same-sex registered partnerships in Scandinavia has coincided with a sharp rise in out-of-wedlock births. In Sweden and Norway from 1990 to 2000—the period roughly coinciding with the introduction of same-sex registered partnerships—out-of-wedlock births increased roughly 10%. In Denmark about 60% of firstborn children now have unmarried parents. Since the introduction of registered partnerships in the Netherlands in 1997, out-of-wedlock births have increased annually there by two percentage points—double the average annual increase of the previous 15 years. Moreover, a 2004 study of divorce rates for same-sex registered partnerships in Sweden from 1995 to 2002 indicates that, compared to opposite-sex married couples, male homosexual couples were 1.5 times more likely to divorce and female homosexual couples 3 times more likely. It is important to note, too, that only a tiny minority of the homosexual population has taken advantage of civil recognition of homosexual unions. According to the 2004 study, the number of same-sex registered partnerships contracted in Sweden from 1995 to 2002 is only one-half of one percent of the number of opposite-sex marriages created in the same interval. Besides severing the institution of marriage from the values of childrearing, monogamy, and longevity, "gay marriage" will have at least three other catastrophic effects: First, we can expect an eventual end to any structural prerequisites for a legitimate sexual relationship. Second, there is good evidence that societal approval of homosexual practice may increase the incidence of homosexuality and bisexuality. Third, "gay marriage," as the ultimate legal sanctioning of homosexual behavior, will bring with it a wave of intolerance toward those who publicly express disapproval of homosexual practice. In sum, why is "gay marriage" wrong? Most importantly, the idea of "gay marriage" is an oxymoron and a rejection of a core value in Judeo-Christian sexual ethics. Marriage requires the two sexes to reconstitute a sexual whole. "Gay marriage" is also wrong because, rather than moderating the excesses of homosexual behavior, it will weaken the institution of marriage. © 2004 Robert A. J. Gagnon

By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent | The Telegraph | July 20, 2004 Proposals to divide the Church of England into two—one part with female clergy and one without—are being discussed by Church leaders to avert an exodus of traditionalists when women become bishops. The Archbishop of York, Dr. David Hope, has told friends he believes such a scheme, though highly controversial, is probably the only way to hold the Church together if it decides to consecrate women. He has privately won support from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, who agrees the options facing the Church are limited. Both are worried that more than 300 traditionalist clergy could quit in protest, potentially costing tens of millions of pounds in hardship payments to those who leave. Dr. Hope is keen to encourage a compromise between die-hard traditionalists and middle-of-the-road Anglicans that will minimize the structural divisions within the Church. The diehards are demanding a "third province"—a church-within-a-church with its own archbishop, bishops and training colleges operating in parallel with the remainder of the Church, but with no female clergy. As The Telegraph disclosed in January, the third province option has been included in the unpublished official report on women bishops by a working party headed by the Bishop of Rochester, the Rt. Rev. Michael Nazir-Ali. But Dr. Hope prefers a scheme which, rather than creating parallel structures, enshrines the rights of traditionalist parishes that could find themselves in dioceses headed by women bishops or liberals. Under such a scheme, parishes opposed to women's ordination would be able to reject the pastoral care of their diocesan bishop if they found them unacceptable. Such parishes could choose to be ministered to by a like-minded traditionalist bishop, who could visit them, if necessary, from outside the diocese. Parishes can already opt for "flying" bishops under provisions introduced for traditionalists when women were ordained priests 10 years ago. At present, diocesan bishops retain their authority over their dioceses and operate a "gentleman's agreement" that they will not block flying bishops from operating in their territory. Although this system has worked satisfactorily, Dr. Hope fears it will come under such strain when women are consecrated as bishops that it will need bolstering. Critically, diocesan bishops would lose their right to block traditionalist bishops if parishes opt for them. The proposals are designed to allay the fears of many conservatives that liberal diocesan bishops will gradually undermine the current agreement, and traditionalists will find themselves being squeezed out of the Church. The General Synod is within its rights to make no concessions to the traditionalists, leaving them either to put up with women bishops or leave without hardship payments. But the measure will have to pass through Parliament and MPs could reject the whole reform if there is no adequate package of payments attached. Dr. Hope and other Church leaders are convinced that the Synod will balk at the sums involved—the Church paid £26 million to clergy who left over women priests—and his proposals will gain in popularity.

By Raymond J. Keating | Newsday | July 20, 2004 When the world looks at Christians, it often sees disunity. Some differences merely reflect denominational specialties while others expose deep cracks in the church. Regarding certain niches, Anglicans—including the Episcopal Church in the United States—often excel in architecture and worship. One of the loveliest churches on Long Island has to be St. Ann's Episcopal Church in Sayville. The elegance of its stone, castle-like exterior is rivaled by the interior's gorgeous Tiffany stained glass windows. At St. Mary's Church in Amityville, this past Sunday's "Choral Eucharist" combined with the beauty of the sanctuary in such a way as to foster reflection about and praise of God. But Anglicans are being ripped apart. And they are not alone, as most Christian denominations struggle with a fundamental question about faith and society: Should the church go along with shifting cultural views of morality or teach enduring truths? Consider the ongoing debate over how to define marriage. Last week, delegates at the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod's national convention in St. Louis voted by a 1,163-to-22 margin to affirm "marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman." The consecration last year of V. Gene Robinson as the Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire served as a signal. Robinson is the first openly gay bishop, and a divorced father of two. He told Newsday earlier this year that, if gay marriage were allowed in New Hampshire, he and his partner would "be married in a minute." Robinson's installation sent waves of tumult throughout much of the Christian world, but he has claimed that "10 years from now, we will wonder what all the hullabaloo was about." I spoke with a couple of Episcopal priests on Long Island last week who see matters differently from Robinson. The Rev. Randolph Jon Geminder, the rector at St. Mary's, explained: "The leaders of the Episcopal Church that tend to be in the majority now in their hearts really feel that the church needs to mirror society." In contrast, Geminder noted, the traditional view is that "the church must lead the world to mirror the church's teachings." He adds that traditional-minded Episcopalians in America "are in spiritual lockstep with 90 percent of the rest of the Anglican world," and that "just shy of two-thirds of the entire Anglican world has broken communion" to one degree or another with the Americans due to Robinson's installation. Cutting across denominations, the most substantive split in 21st-century Christianity promises to be between liberals, who have chosen to eliminate or redefine sin to fit personal preferences and cultural trends, and more orthodox or traditional Christians who hold to the authority of Holy Scripture and respect the long tradition of the church. The Rev. Jim Byrum of St. John's Episcopal Church in Huntington placed the controversy within the larger context of Christianity's mission. He observed: "Once you start subjectively recategorizing sin, you effectively for the church eliminate the need for a savior." Both men worry that traditional Christianity today often gets portrayed as lacking compassion. Geminder told me: "The church is a place where everybody is welcome. But we just don't feel we have the power to add to what the Lord taught us." He added: "Toleration does not equate itself with endorsement." As the old saying goes, hate the sin, love the sinner—and we are all sinners. Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.

By David W. Virtue "The vocation of the church is to proclaim the Gospel, not to defend the American way of life, not to 'build socialism,' not even to 'build a just society'—because, quite apart from the fact that we don't really know what this is, our notions of justice are fallible and finally marred by Sin." — The Fabricated Luther by Uwe Siemon-Netto The cat is out of the bag. The 38 Primates will meet next February in Newcastle, County Down, Ireland to discuss, perhaps finalize, the fate of the Anglican Communion. It is interesting to note that it is in the backyard of Robin Eames the liberal Commission's head and it will be overseen by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Eames told the Belfast Telegraph: "I am very pleased that the Primates Meeting will be coming here in February. A number of venues were considered and Northern Ireland was deemed to be the most suitable on this occasion." That will make the liberals happy but not necessarily the orthodox. The final draft of the Lambeth Report will be sent up early in October, and then there will be four months for the spin to begin. Once the Anglican Communion Office gets a hold of the document the spin cycle will begin in earnest. If the document calls for overt disciplinary measures against Frank Griswold, ECUSA's Presiding Bishop, you can be sure there will be much weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth by Eames, the Anglican Consultative Council, even Dr. Rowan Williams himself. But it will be showdown time at the Anglican Communion corral. If the Global South primates stick to their guns and DEMAND that Griswold repent or be disciplined then that will depend on what that actually means. If discipline means "no vote, no voice" and Griswold still remains in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury, then this will amount to little more than a slap on the wrist. Griswold has argued all along that that is all he is interested in. The question is whether that will prove acceptable to the Global South Primates. If it is then nothing essentially changes. Griswold will not repent, be temporarily cast out, (but privately Rowan will smooth his feathers), and the need for some sort of discipline will have taken place. But the CAPA bishops have issued a directive saying that Griswold has 90 days to repent. Of course we know he won't, and then we wait and see what will happen. The ball is no longer in the court of the Archbishop of Canterbury but Nigeria and the rest of Africa. How tough will they get—that is the only question that remains? All the signs coming from Nigerian Primate Peter Akinola are that he will play hard ball with the ultimate declaration that he, with his fellow African Primates will split from Canterbury and form a new Communion with headquarters elsewhere. A quick visit to the Queen and it is all over. Could it happen? Most of the African Primates and not a few of its bishops have already publicly disassociated themselves from the Episcopal Church, most are now refusing its money, so what have the Africans got left to lose in not blowing off the Anglican Communion as it is now constituted. Canterbury offers them nothing but history, but history is not enough when it comes to the salvation of souls and the Africans have made that very clear. Whatever happens we will see history in the making, the like of which we have not seen since the Reformation. AND IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND THIS WEEK: Virtuosity's prediction that money would be used to punish St. Alban's for allowing Dr. Jeffrey John to become its next dean has come true. The Church of England's largest diocese, London, is leading an unprecedented revolt, preparing to withhold more than £100,000 ($187,000) in protest over spiraling costs. Evangelical parishes will cap their quotas in protest at the Church's policy on homosexuality and using money as a weapon. In the US, in the DIOCESE OF CONNECTICUT, six orthodox priests have come under fire from their bishop Andrew D. Smith over their request for DEPO, and he has ordered all of them to appear before him on or before July 24th. The bishop has refused to meet all six clergy and their vestries jointly, demanding that they meet with him separately at Diocesan House. In the DIOCESE OF EASTERN MICHIGAN, 25 members of the AAC Mid-Michigan chapter have written a letter to Bishop Ed Leidel blasting him for allowing a non-celibate homosexual supply priest to function in the diocese. Furthermore three orthodox priests in the Flint River Convocation (Deanery) have resigned over the consecration of V. Gene Robinson and three more are weighing their options. The diocese is in free fall. In the DIOCESE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE a reader noted that The Church of the Redeemer (ECUSA) in Rochester, New Hampshire has given birth to three continuing church congregations: Trinity Anglican Church (ACA), an ACC congregation meeting at Emmanuel Church, and Saint Michael's—the name adopted by the most recent departure from Redeemer. In the DIOCESE OF PENNSYLVANIA, Bishop Charles E. Bennison has shown his "dark side" when he came to depose Fr. David Moyer. He summoned two priests to witness him signing the sentence of "deposition." To get them in the mood, he began to tell jokes. When all three were smiling, a photographer was summoned to take a picture of the smiling Charles Bennison signing the "deposition." In his visit to St. Luke's, Newtown, Bennison said that from 1992-1997 the Episcopal Church was the fastest growing church of the mainline protestant denominations in the US. Not so, said a numbers cruncher who consulted The Episcopal Church Annual-2004: from 1992 the number of baptized members was 2,491,996, but by 1997 that figure was 2,339,113—down 6%. IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE a group of Anglicans have formed a new fellowship called the Anglican Fellowship in Knoxville (AFK). They held a historic meeting on July 11, 2004. The group are considering affiliation with the "Anglican Communion Network" as a separate parish or aligning with an established "Anglican Continuing Church." The Anglican Fellowship in Knoxville meets again on August 8, 2004 at 5:30 PM EDT at the Deane Hill Recreation Center. THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH through its Northern California Bishop Jerry Lamb has sent out an Open Communion Letter to all Bishops in the Episcopal Church, soliciting their insights on administering the Eucharist to those who have not been baptized. Bishop V. Gene Robinson of the DIOCESE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE asked gays, lesbians and transgendered people to give the church another chance during a sermon at St. Paul's Cathedral in Burlington as part of the gay pride celebration. THE FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT failed with Episcopalian senators evenly divided. In a procedural vote, the tally was 50 to 48—12 votes short of the number needed to end debate. The Reverend Phyllis Nesbitt, national director of the CANADIAN BIBLE SOCIETY, is accusing Ottawa of curtailing freedom of religion. The federal government has told the Canadian Bible Society to end its 50-year tradition of offering the New Testament to new Canadians at citizenship ceremonies. A NIGERIAN ANGLICAN BISHOP says cell phones should be banned in churches. The Anglican bishop-elect of the Ukwa diocese in south-eastern Nigeria has banned the use of mobile phones during his services, saying the love of the electronic instruments is becoming a new form of idolatry. In CHINA authorities detained and interrogated well-known house church leader Samuel Lamb after recent worship services. Ten of his co-workers were also detained and interrogated. This is the first time in 14 years that Chinese authorities have taken repressive steps against Pastor Lamb, who reportedly hosts 3,000 worshippers per week at his new meeting place in Guangzhou.

Special Report | By David W. Virtue | Saginaw, July 19, 2004 Twenty-five members of the Diocese of Eastern Michigan have written a letter to Bishop Ed Leidel blasting him for allowing a non-celibate homosexual supply priest to function in the diocese. The 25 are members of the American Anglican Council of Mid-Michigan. In their letter to the bishop they expressed outrage that the bishop's action went against the teachings of Scripture and assurances he made that he would not act in this manner. "Despite being offensive to those of us who believe that such a relationship is completely contrary to Holy Scripture, it is in complete contradiction to assurances you have made to a number of congregations in meetings since last year's convention," they wrote. "Many congregants, us included, recall that you justified your vote on Bishop Robinson's consecration on the narrow issue that it was what the people of New Hampshire wanted. You further went on to say that as long as you were Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern Michigan you would not allow a similar situation here. While we disagreed with your vote and stand, we have been trying to trust your word." "Your assurances that you would not allow a non-celibate homosexual priest to serve in the diocese were an important factor in many of us waiting, at least until the Lambeth Commission reports to decide whether to leave or stay." "Now we learn, through the St. Jude's of Fenton newsletter that an acknowledged homosexual in a long-term relationship was permitted to serve in the diocese." "It's not that we are so concerned about who serves St. Jude's, although in the global situation we are, but that your word apparently carries such little weight and conviction. This is the kind of issue that will probably lead to a request for Episcopal oversight in some congregations. And not the inadequate oversight offered at the House of Bishops." "Can you blame us for feeling betrayed? Can you blame us for seeking outside oversight? And can you blame us for seeking a permanent re-alignment?" The 25 signers then ripped into the bishop accusing him of double standards over sex. "I don't think we need to remind you that you have taken strong actions against a male priest involved in a sexual relationship outside of marriage. Apparently sexual sins only apply to heterosexuals in this diocese." The signers said the diocesan news outlets have not followed through on their promises to hear both sides and to encourage dialogue. "We notice that the weekly newsletter is not afraid to mention the Via Media group as often as they want." "We find the situation as presented in St. Jude's newsletter schismatic and at odds with the pleas of the Lambeth Commission that 'both' sides not take actions that inflame or cause more division. The action at St. Jude's is another finger in the eye of orthodox Christians in this diocese, especially at the same time that the diocese is demanding tithes and obedience from orthodox parishes." "We know that we have a profound and likely terminal disagreement between you, the diocese and isolated orthodox Anglicans within ECDM/EM, but we should at least be able to deal honestly with each other," they asked. The bishop did not respond. In other diocesan news, three orthodox Flint River Convocation (Deanery) rectors have resigned from their parishes and three other orthodox rectors are weighing their futures in The Episcopal Church. The resignation of the three priests represent a third of the deanery priests. The three rectors resigned, angry and disappointed by the church's consecration of V. Gene Robinson an openly homoerotic non-celibate bishop; the affirmation of same-sex blessings and other doctrinal innovations. One priest renounced his orders and has left the Episcopal Church. The three priests are the Rev. Greg Tournoux, Christ Church, Owosso; the Rev. Dave Kulchar, Trinity Church, Flushing and the Rev. Scott Danforth, St. Dunstan's, Davison, (East of Flint). Their departure will leave hundreds of parishioners rootless, without spiritual direction and nurture with a theologically and morally flawed liberal bishop who voted for Robinson's consecration and who favors same-sex blessings. "It's a disaster," said one of the priests, "the bishop has no idea what he is doing. He just doesn't get it. This is a new diocese and he is its first bishop. He will probably be its last. There is no future here. No gospel is being proclaimed, and in time it will all die. The diocese was formed in the Nineties and it already has serious financial problems." One church, St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church, has been without a full-time priest since February. It has gone from nearly 200 members on the books to 60. Average attendance has dropped from more than 100 at two Sunday services to less than 30 at a single Sunday service.

Cancellation of ACNA Conference on Women Causes Uproar // ACNA Bishop Julian Dobbs Sues JAFC Bishop Derek Jones for Defamation // Bishop FitzSimons Allison Turns 99 QUOTES THAT ENLIGHTEN "The Gospel should never become old to us. If the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ is true, it changes everything. It changes time. It changes history. It changes our eternity." — Tim Tebow Grok predicts that within the next ten years, Artificial Intelligence will completely disrupt life as we know it — not primarily through people using AI chatbots, but through the symbiosis of Artificial Intelligence with humanity. – J.M. Robinson An unchurched Christian is a grotesque anomaly. The New Testament knows nothing of such a person, for the church lies at the very center of the eternal purpose of God. It is not a divine afterthought. It is not an accident of history. On the contrary, the church is God's new community. -- John R.W. Stott Lent always leads us into the wilderness — not merely symbolically, but spiritually and existentially. The Church, in her ancient wisdom, does not invent this movement; she follows Christ. Immediately after His baptism — immediately after the heavenly declaration, "Thou art my beloved Son" — the Spirit drives Him into the wilderness. Mark's language is strikingly forceful: the Spirit does not gently invite; He compels. The wilderness is not accidental to discipleship. It is formative. – Rev. Dr. Ronald Moore Dear Brothers and Sisters, www.virtueonline.org February 27, 2026 Who Is Telling the Truth About American Religion? According to Ryan Burge — an American political scientist, statistician, and leading analyst of religion and politics in the U.S. — it all depends on who is doing the survey. Using the Cooperative Election Study (CES) estimate versus the Gallup survey, the number of "Nones" (individuals without religious affiliation who may nonetheless hold beliefs in a higher power or spirituality) ranges from 75 million (Gallup) to 115 million (CES) — a difference of 40 million. The Pew Research Center reports that about 28% of U.S. adults identify as Nones, and they exhibit a range of beliefs and values, with some viewing religion as having both positive and negative influences on society. Here are some facts: the better educated you are, the more likely you are to be religious. Among those who stopped at high school, 28% are non-religious. For those who completed a four-year college degree, that figure is four points lower. But the level of education that yields the lowest percentage of Nones is clearly the master's degree — only 20% of those holders are non-religious. Education clearly matters. Neither the inroads of science and technology, nor employment pressures, nor the vagaries of economics, change this equation. If you are well educated, religion matters. Here is the takeaway: the share of Americans who are non-religious has been increasing over the last fifteen years. That is undeniable, regardless of which instrument you examine. America is now Christian only in a nominal sense. It is instructive to consider what the Bible has to say about nominalism. In Revelation 3:16, Jesus addresses the church in Laodicea, criticizing them for being lukewarm — neither hot nor cold. He says, "So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." This metaphor highlights the rejection of a faith that is half-hearted or indifferent, symbolizing Christ's disgust toward spiritual complacency. Furthermore, when the gospel is allied with a particular political agenda, God will continue to reject it. Christian nationalism is an oxymoron — it cannot be found in Scripture and is a contradiction in terms. "Pure faith is to visit the fatherless" (James 1:27), caring for the vulnerable in society. It stems from a commitment to Christ that is unalloyed, free of duplicity, deceit, and self-aggrandizement. The CES results show that in every single survey year, those with four-year degrees are significantly less likely to be non-religious. Because the CES sample size is so large, the confidence intervals are tight and do not overlap. The unmistakable conclusion — from both the CES and the aforementioned Nationscape survey — is that educated people are actually more likely to be religious. REVIVAL? There is a great deal of talk about revival in America, particularly among Gen Z men and highly educated people. Most of the revivals appearing here and there are short-lived. Historically, revivals lasted from four to ten years. The Welsh Revival lasted two years, from 1904 to 1905. Other revivals — including the Great Awakening, charismatic renewal, and Pentecostalism — endured for many years. Much of what passes for revival may be little more than emotionalism with a veneer of Christian faith. We should be careful before we declare something a "revival." The Toronto Blessing, in which people fell on their backs laughing hysterically, was criticized by John Stott, who observed that when people encountered the living God, they fell on their faces — not their backs. RealClearInvestigations notes that the decline of religion remains a fundamental reality in most Western countries, particularly in Europe, where over 50% of those under age 40 do not identify with any faith. Even in more religious America, some estimate that as many as 100,000 churches will close in the near future. Meanwhile, the ranks of "Nones" have grown so large that their numbers rival those of Catholics and evangelical Protestants. However, a new report from the Chapman Center for Demographics and Policy suggests that religion is enjoying more than a nascent revival. Data from the 2020s indicate a complex spiritual restructuring that intersects with economic mobility, demographic resilience, and a profound intellectual realignment. For the first time in decades, Pew Research notes that in the U.S., at least, Christianity has stopped its nosedive as more people begin to see the efficacy and rewards of religious faith and practice. Even among cognitive elites, there is a growing trend toward embracing religious activity. In a rebuke of the aggressive New Atheism of the early 2000s — advanced by thought leaders such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens — a counter-movement appears to be growing among scientists, philosophers, and public intellectuals who view religious tradition not as a delusion to be eradicated but as a sustainable civilizational operating system. As our politics splinter along gender lines — with women increasingly forming the base of the Democratic Party and men of the Republican — it is men who are leading the return to church. Reversing a 25-year trend, men reported higher church attendance than women in 2025. This growing divide may continue to separate men and women, with grave implications at a time when rates of marriage and parenthood are already declining. Even in places where religion continues to decline, the remaining faithful are shifting away from more liberal denominations toward those adhering more closely to traditional values. For many, more orthodox sects provide existential security and a sustainable sense of community. As the report makes clear, the budding religious revival in the U.S. reflects a global trend, especially strong in Africa, which is now the most demographically robust region on the planet. Anglicans reading this should take note: the future of Anglicanism lies in the Global South, not the Global North. Over 80% of Anglicanism remains faithful to Scripture on pressing issues of doctrine and sexuality. Twisting Scripture to make it mean what you want it to mean is a non-starter for Africans and Asians who believe in the veracity and authority of Holy Writ. GAFCON IN ABUJA Next week, some 500 orthodox Anglicans will gather in Abuja, Nigeria, for what has been described as a G26 Mini-Conference. The conference will be held from March 3rd to 6th and hosted by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). GAFCON primates and senior leaders will assemble before the conference for preliminary meetings. GAFCON primates have rejected the appointment of Dame Sarah Mullally as the Archbishop of Canterbury, declaring that her appointment will further divide the Anglican Communion. They have formed a new network known as the Global Anglican Communion, which will elect a new chairman to replace the Archbishop of Canterbury as "first among equals" of the world's Anglican bishops. This move reflects GAFCON's desire to restore the original structure of the Communion as a fellowship of autonomous provinces, moving away from the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury. While GAFCON has never declared a formal schism, the situation is de facto a schism, if not de jure. The Global South has repeatedly — from one Lambeth Conference to the next — insisted that the actions of their Western colleagues constitute a rejection of Scripture in all matters of faith and practice, particularly regarding homosexuality. Western provinces such as TEC, ACoC, and the CofE have not listened and have in fact gone their own way, ordaining homosexuals and lesbians to all orders of ministry. What is troubling about this conference from a press standpoint is that Bishop Paul Donnison, the conference's media coordinator, has created a two-tier media system. There is the officially invited press corps (which VOL is seeking to join), and a second tier who can gather at a separate venue to watch proceedings via Zoom. Who is going to spend $5,000 on airfare and hotels for that? One way or another, we will find out what happened and bring the news to you. One thing is certain: the current occupant of Lambeth Palace will not be singing the Hallelujah Chorus, whichever way it goes. Stay tuned. CANADIAN PRIMATE GOES TO JERUSALEM Canadian Primate Shane Parker paid a visit to the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem and addressed the concerns of Palestinian Christians — but he overlooked certain key realities, including the concerns of Israel and the roles of Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, and Iran, which went entirely unmentioned. Archbishop Parker expressed strong concern for Palestinians in Gaza, describing the situation as "the squeezing out of a people, the crushing of a people." While he did not explicitly assign blame, his remarks were widely interpreted as critical of Israel. Parker's assessment overlooks crucial context. We contend that Hamas — not Israel — is primarily responsible for the ongoing suffering in Gaza. If Hamas were to lay down its arms and surrender, the war would end immediately. Yet Hamas has repeatedly rejected ceasefire terms, including key provisions of former President Trump's proposed peace plan, and has affirmed it will not relinquish control of Gaza or its weapons. During his visit, Archbishop Parker described dire conditions near Gaza: "It was cold and wet, the nights were long and dark… people were living in meagre tents and children were dying from exposure. It's appalling. It is a true humanitarian crisis, and the solution is within reach — but the forces at play are simply not engaging." That last claim is simply false. There is a peace deal on the table. The Gaza peace plan — officially the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict — is a multilateral agreement between Israel and Hamas aimed at addressing the ongoing war and the broader Middle Eastern crisis. Led by President Donald Trump and negotiated in consultation with many Arab and Muslim countries, it represents a serious and documented effort. Parker appears to have overlooked this entirely. Even if the plan ultimately fails, no one can say that no attempt was made. You can read more here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/canadian-primate-speaks-on-palestinian-christians-but-critics-say-he-overlooks-key-realities As one observant Church of England leader noted: "Anglican bishops hear only the views of Arab Christians in Jerusalem — not the political reality on the ground." ACNA CONFERENCE ON WOMEN CANCELLED A brouhaha erupted in the Anglican Church in North America this past week over the cancellation of a planned conference on sexism and the empowerment of women. The conference was to feature several ACNA clergy and bishops and to promote a book called Safe Church — and that book proved to be the problem. It apparently argued that declining to ordain women is, by its very nature, sexist and abusive. That position is untenable for the ACNA, since at least half of its dioceses and bishops would, by that logic, be classified as sexists and abusers. Once this was sufficiently noticed, the conference was cancelled. The Living Church has an excellent report here: https://livingchurch.org/news/cancelled-sexism-panel-ignites-acna-conflict/ BISHOP DOBBS SUES BISHOP JONES FOR DEFAMATION In other news, ACNA Bishop Julian Dobbs is suing JAFC Bishop Derek Jones for unspecified damages arising from false and defamatory statements allegedly made by Jones about Dobbs, the current interim ecclesiastical authority of the ACNA. The lawsuit claims that the split in the JAFC following Jones's inhibition has cost the ACNA $1.2 million per year in lost revenue. On September 21, 2025, then-Archbishop Steve Wood (who faces his own trial on multiple charges) announced that he had inhibited Bishop Jones of the Special Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy for sixty days, "subject to further extension as provided by canon while an investigation is conducted into the complaints received." Jones subsequently terminated his relationship with the ACNA. Dobbs alleges character assassination by Jones through "completely false, misleading, highly defamatory statements" based on allegations more than five years old. Jones charged Dobbs with financial irregularities, which Dobbs vigorously denies. The charge that he absconded with approximately $48,000 was described by Dobbs as involving "mismanaged" funds, and he expressed regret for the bookkeeping error. He was later cleared by an ACNA court. These "false and defamatory allegations" were subsequently leaked to the Washington Post's global readership. In his suit, Dobbs claims damage to his reputation and states that he has "suffered severe emotional distress and mental anguish as a result of these accusations," adding that they have badly tarnished his standing in the Anglican community. He charges that Jones's statements are "completely false." On February 4, Dobbs demanded that Jones "publish a full retraction of the defamatory statements in writing." To date, Jones has not done so. Dobbs alleges that Jones "intentionally, maliciously, and/or recklessly published false and defamatory statements" about him, and is seeking general, compensatory, and punitive damages to be determined by a jury. BISHOP FITZSIMONS ALLISON TURNS 99 We are delighted to report that Bishop C. FitzSimons Allison (SC, ret.) will turn 99 in March. He is the oldest bishop in the Episcopal Church, which he served for more than 30 years. Born March 5, 1927, he is the published author of five books, the most famous of which is The Cruelty of Heresy. He is known for his role in the Anglican realignment and his participation in the controversial 2000 consecration in Singapore of two bishops opposed to the blessing of same-sex unions by the Episcopal Church. He resides in Georgetown, South Carolina, where he serves as a retired bishop of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina in the Anglican Church in North America since 2022. We congratulate Bishop Allison on reaching this remarkable milestone. SUPPORT VOL VOL has brought on new writers in 2026 with clear insights into Scripture and culture. We have no mega-donors and no grants — just faithful readers like you who believe in what we do and write. Tens of thousands of enthusiastic VOL readers trust us to cover the most pressing issues facing Anglicanism today, yet only a small percentage contribute. We have proven ourselves over more than 35 years and remain committed to this mission. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to keep the news coming. How to Give: Online: PayPal donation link at https://www.virtueonline.org/donate By check (tax-deductible): VIRTUEONLINE P.O. BOX 111 Shohola, PA 18458 Thank you for your support, David

By Mary Ann Mueller VOL Special Correspondent www.virtueonline.org February 26, 2026   It does not matter if a person is born in Washington State or Washington, DC or Washington, England; Christchurch, Virginia or Christchurch, New Zealand; Moscow, Russia or Moscow, Idaho; Johannesburg, South Africa or Johannesburg, California; Paris, Wisconsin or Paris, France; THE Bethlehem or Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Nogales, Arizona or Nogales, Mexico; Sault Ste. Marie, Canada or Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; San Antonio, Texas or San Antonio, El Salvador, or San Antonio, Florida or San Antonio, Italy, or San Antonio, Colorado, or San Antonio, Venezuela, or San Antonio, Missouri or San Antonio, Nicaragua, or San Antonio, New Mexico or San Antonio, Puerto Rico …   The Washingtonians, the Christchurchers, the Muscovites, the Johannesburgers, the Parisians, the Bethlehemites, the Nogalense, the Saultites, and the San Antonians all have one thing in common — they are created by God.   No matter where they were born or where they now live they cannot escape the omnipresent God. They need to stay connected with HIM for their soul’s sake.   The Americans, the New Zealanders, the Eurasians, the Africans, the Europeans, the Middle Easterners, the Mexicans, the Canadians, the Central and South Americans, the Caribbeans are loved by God. And Jesus was born to die for them on the Cross.    But if Jesus Christ were walking in the flesh on earth today, since He was born in historic ancient Bethlehem, He, too, could be scooped up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement colloquially known as ICE. He'd be classified as a foreigner. His foreign-born priests – Catholic and Episcopal – are not immune, neither would He.   He would walk in their faltering footsteps. But Jesus has been arrested once before in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He died on the Cross. Not by ICE but by a cohort of Roman soldiers and Temple guards sent by the Sanhedrin. He was not deported – He met death! A cruel crucifixion – an agonizing death on a cross.   But nowadays ICE steps in to try and foil clergy from fulfilling their God-given mission to minister to God's beloved by standing in the way of them providing the Word and Sacrament, much needed encouragement during very trying times when the foreign-born are ripped from their families and forcefully detained with the threat of being removed from American soil. The clergy are denied from offering the touch of humanity and the comfort of prayer.   CLERGY GO TO COURT The clergy are fighting back. Not only on their knees in prayer, but in the courts.   On Monday (February 23) a lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA); the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ; and the Rev. Fr. Christopher Collins, the Jesuit parochial administrator (vicar) at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in St. Paul.   The Minnesota clergy are claiming that ICE’s practice of restricting pastors from visiting with detainees deprives them of their First Amendment right to practice their faith.   The lawsuit came after ICE prevented the pastors and priests and other clergy from providing pastoral care for detainees – “to care for those most in need at their darkest hours.”   The defendants named in the lawsuit include: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem; acting ICE Director Todd Lyons; and David Easterwood, ICE’s acting field director in St. Paul. (Easterwood is listed as a pastor at Cities Church in St. Paul, where demonstrators disrupted a church service in January.)   The Minneapolis clergy conflict has gone on since December 4, 2025 when the Trump Administration escalated ICE enforcement in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) when it unleashed Operation Metro Surge. Upwards to 3,000 federal and ICE agents flooded the snow packed streets working out of the Whipple Federal Building which became the base of operations for the surge of ICE agents into Minnesota.   But it came to a head on Ash Wednesday when clergy were forbidden from entering the Whipple Federal Building for the imposition of ashes. A traditional Ash Wednesday practice where Christians stop to recalibrate their faith walk with Jesus leading up to Easter.   “The filing lists numerous instances of pastors being denied access to detainees over the past few months, including at least four pastors who sought to impose ashes on Ash Wednesday,” KSPT reports.   The litany of blocking clergy from ministering to ICE detainees include: On Dec. 12, (the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe) when Fr. Collins attempted to enter Whipple to pray for a detained mother of a local student.   December 12 is a special day of joy for the Latinos who celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe.   “But when he arrived, he was blocked from even entering the parking lot to Whipple,” Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) reports. “He was prevented entirely from accessing the building and from ministering to those believed to be inside the building.”   A month later, the United Church of Christ (UCC) ministers the Revs. Susan Hayward and Rebecca Voelkel were also barred from entering the Whipple building by Homeland Security officials, preventing the UCC ministers from providing any spiritual guidance or care to the ICE detainees.   Then on Feb. 18, Lutheran Pastor Melissa Gonzalez said that a DHS staff member sent her to a waiting room, but ultimately blocked her from visiting detainees on Ash Wednesday. She was told that the clergywoman would not be permitted access to detainees for “security and safety reasons.”   “Spiritual care delayed is often spiritual care denied,” the lawsuit explains. “especially where detainees may be transferred without notice.”   Ash Wednesday is not a high holy day of obligation but it is a culturally significant day when people flood to the church for the imposition of ashes.   Not only are the churches filled but clergy – including Episcopalians – go out into the streets to impose ashes and even set up drive through locations, so a person can get their foreheads ashed without leaving their car or hearing the Word of God proclaimed.   In the Land of Lincoln, the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL) filed a lawsuit in November 2025 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois alleging that ICE unlawfully blocked clergy from providing pastoral care.     ILLINOIS COURT ISSUES PARTIAL RULING However, just in time for Ash Wednesday, Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Robert Gettleman issued a preliminary injunction on Feb. 13, 2026 ordering ICE to allow Catholic clergy, including nuns, to provide Communion and the imposition of ashes to detainees at the ICE processing center in Broadview, Illinois. Ash Wednesday was on Feb. 18.   The Illinois judge found that blocking these religious actions violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) which prevents federal agencies – including ICE – from "substantially burdening" a person's exercise of religion unless they use the least restrictive means to further a compelling interest. The RFRA restored strict scrutiny for religious freedom.   Judge Gettleman ruled that with proper safety, security, and notice allowing the religious visits does not impose undue hardship on the government.   Although Judge Gentleman's ruling does not impact ICE detention at the Whipple Federal Building on the outskirts of Minneapolis.   EPISCOPAL HISTORY WITH FEDERAL BUILDING The Episcopal Church has a long-storied history with the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building at One Federal Drive in Fort Snelling near the airport and within view of the river which separates Minnesota from Wisconsin.   The seven thousand square foot, seven storey building is named for Episcopal Bishop Henry Whipple, the founding bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota.   Minnesota was initially a part of the missionary territory of the famed Episcopal Bishop Jackson Kemper who was instrumental in founding Nashotah House in Wisconsin. He was tasked by the 1838 General Convention to be the missionary Bishop for the “Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa and in all other parts of the United States north of latitude 36½⁰ (36⁰30’) where the Church is as yet unorganized.” This would ultimately include Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kansas and Minnesota as westward expansion spread across the American frontier.   In 1859 Minnesota became a standalone Episcopal diocese when Henry Whipple became its first bishop. He held that post for forty-two years until he died in 1901. He was consecrated by Bishop Kemper, who at the time was the founding bishop of the original Diocese of Wisconsin.   Eventually, as the State of Wisconsin grew, the historic Diocese of Wisconsin was split into the dioceses of Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, and Milwaukee. It was not until 2024 that the Diocese of Wisconsin was reconstituted with the eighth Bishop of Fond du Lac Matthew Alan Gunter becoming the fourth Bishop of Wisconsin.   The Minneapolis area federal building was built in 1965 and named for the Minnesota Episcopal bishop. It currently houses the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Department of Defense, and the United States Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE operations.   Bishop Whipple was noted for his defense, humanitarianism and advocacy for the American Indian particularly with the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes of Minnesota.   He felt that the federal policy coming out of Washington, DC towards Native Americans was corrupt and abusive.   BISHOP WHIPPLE'S INVOLVEMENT WITH THE DAKOTA WAR The Dakota War of 1862 saw the Minnesota Dakota tribes were exiled from their homelands and forcibly sent to reservations in the Nebraska and Dakota territories. Then the State of Minnesota confiscated and sold all their remaining land in the state. In 1862 Minnesota Governor Alexander Ramsey called for the Dakota peoples to "be exterminated or driven forever beyond the borders of the State."   After leaving office Gov. Ramsey was elected US Senator and eventually he was appointed the Secretary of War under President Rutherford B. Hayes.   Bishop Whipple was horrified by what he saw. He personally appealed to President Abraham Lincoln for the lives of the Dakota who were imprisoned at Fort Snelling, where approximately 2,000 Dakota surrendered or were taken into custody.   A military commission decreed that 303 Dakota should be hanged for killing innocent farmers. Bishop Whipple went to Washington to see President Lincoln to plead for their lives.   Abraham Lincoln is reported as saying that Bishop Whipple’s passionate testimony on behalf of the Dakota had "shaken him down to his boots," thus heavily influencing him to commute the capital sentence hanging over the heads of most of the accused Dakota warriors who were condemned to die by the military commission.   After meeting with the Minnesota Episcopal bishop the President of the United States commuted the death sentence for all but 39 Dakota. However, in the end 38 Indians were hanged in Mankato, Minnesota in December 1862. One condemned Indian prisoner received a reprieve. The Dakota deaths was the largest one-day mass execution in American history.   Following the event President Lincoln called on Congress to reform the Bureau of Indian Affairs and federal Indian policy.   Bishop Whipple intervention with President Lincoln was not well received by the Minnesotans. He received several death threats for his actions on behalf of the Indian tribes.   WHIPPLE FEDERAL BUILDING PROTESTS Through the years Bishop Whipple's namesake building has been the site of several protests and demonstrations against ICE.   In 2016, activists rallied for the release of eight Cambodian-American refugees who had been detained by ICE.    In 2018, eighteen protestors were arrested during a demonstration that had blocked the light rail tracks adjacent to the building.   In July 2019, a "Lights for Liberty" vigil was held in front of the building ahead of the deployment of ICE raids in several cities. In addition, 200 mostly-Jewish activists protested at the building against ICE polices.   In October 2019, protestors led by Minnesota Episcopal Church gathered at the building to demand its name be changed.   WCCO reported that “the protest was led by leaders of the Minnesota Episcopal Church, and there were some tense moments as protesters made an attempt to visit ICE detainees and serve them Communion.”   So denying clergy access to Minneapolis area ICE detainees for Sacramental care has been an ongoing issue for several years.   "The current practices and actions taking place within Bishop Henry Whipple Building are contrary to the belief, policy, values, and practices of the Episcopal Church and people of faith," said Bishop Brian Prior (IX Minnesota) who spoke at the 2019 protest.   The protesters issued an ultimatum. They said that if Bishop Whipple’s name is not removed from the building, they wanted ICE evicted from its offices there.   However, it would take an act of Congress to erase Bishop Whipple's name from the Fort Snelling federal building and rename it.   The protesters feel that it is dishonoring the early Minnesota Episcopal bishop who was so committed to advocating for American Indian rights during the brewing tensions between the red man and the white men on the expanding American frontier.   Most recently, last October and before the unleashing of Operation Metro Surge, a large protest was held at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building during a visit by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.   Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline.

Seizure by US Non-Profit Org. to grab UK ministry declared illegitimate. Report includes unfounded claims of spiritual abuse SPECIAL REPORT By David W. Virtue, DD www.virtueonline.org February 26, 2026 British lawyers investigating the recent “takeover” of Barnabas Aid, an international aid agency founded in 1993 by Patrick Sookhdeo focusing on supporting Christians facing persecution due to their faith, say that it was an illegal, illegitimate seizure of the organization. The lawyers who conducted the independent investigation, Camerons Solicitors LLP, were appointed and paid by KAF Kiti Almond Foundation, not by Barnabas Aid. Their report, published in January 2026, indicates that a 2024 investigation by another law firm under the supervision of Colin Bloom, the British politician who has controlled Barnabas Aid since the “takeover” in 2024, may have been misused as a tactical pretext rather than a genuine inquiry. Patrick and Rosemary Sookhdeo and Caroline Kerslake (a long-term employee), voluntarily agreed to take a leave of absence from the ministry in April 2024 while their ministry was under investigation. The solicitors contend that Nexcus International, which conducted the “takeover”, is a US 501©3 organization, and its actions in seizing control of Barnabas Aid are legally invalid. They maintain that an English registered charity cannot lawfully subordinate its governance to a foreign, unregulated corporation, as this violates fundamental principles of charity law! The Charity Commission for England and Wales, a statutory regulator body, maintains "The Essential Trustee," mandates that trustees must act personally and cannot delegate their ultimate responsibility or fetter their discretion to a third party like Nexcus. A CRITIQUE OF THE CROWELL & MORING REPORT The Camerons 2026 report examines the 2024 report by London law firm Crowell & Moring. The Crowell investigation was prompted by a sudden spate of anonymous whistleblower complaints and was led, according to his own admittance, by Colin Bloom, the CEO of Nexcus International. Camerons delivers a scathing critique of the Crowell report, questioning its independence, impartiality, and integrity—the three pillars of a fair judicial process. Key criticisms include: It ignored its own findings on Noel Frost, a South African lawyer who has been struck off for stealing from clients. Frost oversaw the flow of tens of millions of dollars worth of donations as the international CEO of Barnabas Aid, but he was later dismissed for stealing from Barnabas Aid. Despite concluding that Frost was dishonest and had orchestrated the whistleblower complaints against the founders, Crowell’s main analysis of the founders’ conduct completely ignores this context. This was described as “willful blindness.” Presenting uncorroborated and sensational allegations as fact: The Camerons report highlights several new, extreme allegations inserted into the final version of the Crowell report (e.g., physical bullying, spiritual abuse, seeking corrupt payments) that are based on hearsay, lack evidence, and appear designed to smear the founders without a fair hearing. Failing to consider exculpatory context: For instance, complaints about the founders' travel or management style are presented without acknowledging the health issues of the Sookhdeos, now aged 78 and 82 and facing terminal illnesses, their strategic (not operational) roles, or the fact that many staff had little direct contact with them due to Frost’s efforts to isolate them. BIAS DEMONSTRATED The Camerons report notes that Crowell accepted the authority of the Nexcus/Barnabas MOU without questioning its legality under charity law. A key pillar of the report’s argument is that the entire crisis was orchestrated by Noel Frost, Barnabas’s former CEO. The solicitors present evidence, including from the Crowell report itself, that Frost systematically isolated the founders (Patrick and Rosemary Sookhdeo and Caroline Kerslake) from staff, recruited a loyalist team, and actively encouraged a campaign of anonymous whistle-blower complaints to engineer their removal. His motive was apparently to seize control of the organization and its resources. The report details Frost’s serious personal misconduct, which it argues fatally undermines the legitimacy of the takeover he prepared, a takeover which Colin Bloom continued to its conclusion after Frost was suspended. This includes a South African High Court judgment that struck Frost off the legal rolls for being a “grossly dishonest individual” who stole client funds and forged documents. Camerons solicitors are critical of Crowell for giving this judgment only muted attention and for initially asking Barnabas not to report it to the Charity Commission. The numerous allegations against the founders are systematically challenged in the Crowell report. The solicitors argue that Crowell’s claims of a "hostile environment" and "spiritual abuse" are either unsubstantiated, taken out of context, or were the direct result of Frost’s manipulations. There is not a shred of evidence of “spiritual abuse”, nor any complaints claiming such, even though Crowell devoted a section to this subject in their report. Camerons assert that many staff had little to no interaction with the founders due to Frost’s isolation tactics, making staff complaints about management style implausible. Specific new allegations in Crowell’s final report, such as Patrick Sookhdeo seeking a corrupt payment, are dismissed as uncorroborated hearsay that should never have been included. Regarding financial allegations, the Camerons report provides detailed, legitimate explanations for all payments to the founders, refuting claims of impropriety. Payments totaling over £1.3 million ($1.8 million) are shown to be from three main sources: the sale of a property left to them in trust, long-standing personal support donations from a Bahamian church ("living by faith" contributions), and gifts from a major donor channeled through a separate trust for their personal support. These were not illicit benefits but properly documented and trustee-approved arrangements consistent with the founders’ lifelong commitment to unsalaried ministry. The report concludes that the actions of Nexcus since April 2024—including locking out the majority Barnabas trustees from offices and records, and preventing access to Barnabas bank accounts—have been unlawful. The solicitors express deep concern that a foreign corporation, acting on the machinations of a "grossly dishonest" individual, has been allowed to dismantle a major UK charity with apparent impunity, causing significant reputational damage and the loss of three-quarters of its staff. END

Hamas, Not Israel, Bears Responsibility for Gaza's Humanitarian Crisis, Argue Critics Canadian Anglican Archbishop Shane Parker By David W. Virtue, DD www.virtueonline.org February 25, 2026   Archbishop Shane Parker, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, recently visited the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem. During his trip, he expressed strong concern for Palestinians in Gaza, describing the situation as "the squeezing out of a people, the crushing of a people." While he did not explicitly assign blame, his remarks were widely interpreted as critical of Israel. However, critics argue that Parker's assessment overlooks crucial context. They contend that Hamas—not Israel—is primarily responsible for the ongoing suffering in Gaza. If Hamas were to lay down its arms and surrender, they note, the war would end immediately. Yet Hamas has repeatedly rejected ceasefire terms, including key provisions of former President Trump's proposed peace plan, and has affirmed it will not relinquish control of Gaza or its weapons. Humanitarian Concerns and Competing Narratives During his visit, Archbishop Parker described dire conditions near Gaza: "It was cold and wet, the nights were long and dark… people were living in meagre tents and children were dying from exposure. It's appalling. It is a true humanitarian crisis, and the solution is within reach—but the forces at play are simply not engaging." Critics respond that this crisis stems not from Israeli policy but from Hamas's governance and the 2005 electoral choice by Gazans to support a group whose charter calls for Israel's destruction. They argue that humanitarian conditions would improve significantly if Hamas ceased hostilities and prioritized civilian welfare. Aid, Access, and UNRWA Parker called for: Lifting blockades on humanitarian aid to Gaza Ending impunity for settler violence in the West Bank Reaffirming support for UNRWA's relief efforts Ensuring Gaza's reconstruction upholds "dignity, equity, and self-determination" Yet he did not address concerns about UNRWA's operational integrity. A UN Watch report has documented how Hamas and Islamic Jihad have allegedly influenced the agency's decision-making—a factor cited by Israel in restricting UNRWA's activities within its borders. Regarding aid delivery, critics note that Israel has facilitated the entry of substantial humanitarian supplies since the conflict began: over 1.9 million tons of aid, nearly 100,000 truckloads, including food, medical equipment, and more than 4,000 tons of baby formula. Israel states it coordinates closely with international partners to ensure aid reaches civilians while preventing diversion to militant groups. Medical Cooperation and Security Realities Contrary to narratives of total isolation, Israel provides significant medical support to Palestinians. According to Project Rozana, nearly 100,000 Palestinian patients—including children requiring chemotherapy or dialysis—receive specialized care in Israeli and East Jerusalem hospitals annually. Six Palestinian-administered hospitals in East Jerusalem offer advanced treatments unavailable in the West Bank or Gaza. Parker acknowledged he could not enter Gaza, citing security concerns. The IDF has stated it cannot guarantee visitor safety in active conflict zones—a reality that complicates humanitarian access and external observation. On Pilgrimages, Infrastructure, and Arms When asked about changes since his last visit, Parker noted a sharp decline in religious pilgrimages, with economic consequences for local Christian communities. He also referenced "micro and macro pressures" on Palestinians, including infrastructure projects like new highways in the West Bank. Critics counter that such infrastructure serves legitimate security needs. Facing threats from Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, ISIS in Syria, and Iran's substantial military presence—all of which have publicly called for Israel's destruction—Israel argues that strategic transportation networks are essential for national defense, much as the U.S. interstate system was originally justified under President Eisenhower. On the question of arms shipments to Israel, Parker offered a measured response: "People need to inform themselves and follow their conscience. If those hearing my remarks have connections or can make decisions that might effect change, then they should make them." Critics interpret this as an implicit call to halt military support for Israel—a move they warn could leave Israel vulnerable to escalation. A Call for Balance—and Accountability Parker concluded by affirming: "Neither they nor we want to be construed as anti-Israel. Israel has a right to exist. Its citizens have a right to live without fear of terrorism or war. The people of Palestine have an equal right to live without fear, without violence or deprivation of human rights." Yet critics note a persistent omission: the role of Hamas and other militant groups in perpetuating civilian suffering. They argue that lasting peace requires not only humanitarian aid and diplomatic engagement but also the dismantling of terrorist governance in Gaza. In summary: While Archbishop Parker's concerns for Palestinian civilians are shared by many, critics contend that a complete account of the crisis must include Hamas's responsibility for initiating and prolonging the conflict—and that sustainable solutions depend on addressing that reality.